Ceiling construction



June 8, 1965 p DAIL 3,187,661

CEILING CONSTRUCTION Filed March 19, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. PA UL D. DA IL BYJMM W y ATTORNEYS June 8, 1965 P. D. DAlL CEILING CONSTRUCTION I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19, 1962 ATTORNEYS June 8, 1965 Filed March 19, 1962 Ill/I I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I IIILL N 4 I30 I24 I28 I24 I K I04 -Io7 FIG. 4

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ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,187,661 CEILING CONSTRUCTION Paul D. Dail, 9324 Mesa Vista, La Mesa, Calif. Filed Mar. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 180,448 5 Claims. (Cl. 98-40) The present invention relates to ceiling construction such as that which depends from an upper structure, as for example a higher ceiling or roof. The invention is directed to the form and shape of the runner having the utility of functioning as a divider between rows of ceiling tile, of functioning as a support for ceiling panels between the ceiling tile, of functioning as a retainer for a lower partition wall, of functioning as a support for an air duct, of functioning as a passage for air from the duct, and of functioning as a support for a diffuser for air emanating from the air passage.

The runner of the present invention comprises a pair of elongated, parallelly arranged and horizontally extending runner sections. These runner sections of a pair are spaced from one another horizontally to form a vertically extending air passage between the same. Tile units are disposed between the runners. The tile units and runners are supported from above, as for example by another ceiling or roof. All or parts of the space between the runners may be closed.

For examples, when the runner is used to support an air duct, the runner supports a diffuser which partly closes the space between the runner sections. If desirable, part of the same runner can carry a ceiling panel which can cover a section of the space between the runner sections. Too, if desirable, the same runner can be used as a retaining device, throughout a section thereof, for holding the upper edge of a partition wall in place.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of inverted T-shaped members are carried by a roof or a suitable support above the same, as for example by wires. The runners are transversely disposed with respect'to the T-shaped member and are suitably fastened to the opposite ends of a series of these T-shaped members. The ceiling tile units are supported, preferably,

directly by the T-shaped members. In the preferred emand showing one of the runners as an element for sup-.

porting an air diffuser for supporting a ceiling panel and as an element for retaining the upper edge of a partition wall in place;

FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are cross sectional views of the runner.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing the elements used for supporting the tile at a, permanent wall of a building.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the suspended ceiling is shown generally at 20' and a side wall of the building supporting the roof (not shown) is shown at 22.

Series of inverted Tshaped members 24 referred to hereinafter at times as Ts are suspended, for example from the roof of the building by wires 26. The Ts are arranged parallelly and have a length substantially the same as that of one of the selected standard length of ceiling tile. Such tile 28 may be of the sound absorbing type.

3,187,661 Patented June 8, 1965 The opposite walls of the building, one of which is shownat 22, carry horizontally extending runners 30, which are generally L-shaped in cross section, the vertical leg 32 of which is secured to the wall as by nails 34. The runner leg 32 is provided with an integral L-shaped flange 36 and an integral inverted L-shaped flange 38 opposite flange 36, which flanges are spaced from one another to provide a channel 40 which is open at the side as at 42. A sheet metal clip 44 extends through a slot 46 in the upright leg 48 of the T 24. This clip extends parallelly and horizontally along the leg 48 toward the leg 32 of runner 39. A portion 50 of the clip is bent to extend alongside the channel 40 of the runner 30. This portion is perforated to receive a bolt 52 which cooperates with a nut 54 in the channel 40 for fastening the clip to the runner 30. The clip portion which extends beyond the leg 48 of the T is bent toward the runner to hold the T in position.

Each of the elongated runners 56, which are interposed between the side walls of the building or room, is arranged parallelly of the runners 30, is spaced horizontally from one another and lies in the same transverse plane. Each runner 56 includes a pair of elongated primary runner sections 58 and 60 which are arranged parallely of one another, are spaced from one another horizontally and provide a vertically extending passage 62 therebetween. The sections forming a runner are fastened to one another by a plurality of plates 64 as by rivets 66 or screws.

The primary runner sections 58 and 60 are allochiral. Each section includes a lowermost horizontally extending portion fifi which merges with an upright flange 70. This portion 68 merges with an upright wall 72 which is disposed inwardly of the flange 70. The wall 72 is provided with an open bottom channel 74. The portion 68 extends inwardly of the channel 74 to form a ledge 76. The top of the wall 72 merges with a horizontally extending portion 78 and this portion 78 extends outwardly to above the flange 70 and is there provided with a downwardly extending flange $0. The portions 68 and 78 together With wall 72 and flanges 7t) and 80 form an elongated channel 82 which is open at the side as at 84.

The portion 78 merges with an upright portion 86, inwardly of wall 72. A part 88 of portion 78 extends inwardly of upright portion 86 to form a reinforcing flange. The upper edge of upright portion 86 is enlarged as at 99 which enlargement merges with an outwardly extending portion or floor 92. The enlarged portion is provided with an open top channel 94. The outer end of the floor 92 merges with an upright portion 96.

The runners 56 are carried by the Ts by clips 44 and bolts 52 and nuts 54, the bolts extending through the clips and channel openings 84 and the nuts being disposed in the channels 82. Each end of a T 24 is provided with a clip. Preferably the opposite side edges of the ceiling tile 28 are provided with kerfs 95 which receive the laterally extending arms 97 at the bottom of the T.

In building the ceiling the runners 30 and supporting wires 26 are placed in position first. Then, for example, the left ends of a series of Ts 24 are fastened to the left runner 30 by the bolts 52 and nuts 54. The rear edge of the rear lateral arm of the T will lie flush with the rear wall of the room and the bolt and nut are then fastened securely to the runner 30. Then the extreme ends of the most left runner 56 is fastened to the right end of TS 24. But only the rearmost T is fastened securely to the runner section 58. Then the rearmost tile 28 is placed in position, the rear kerf 95 thereof receiving the forward extending lateral arm 97 of the T. Thereafter, the next for- Ward T 24 is fastened securely to the runner 3i and runner section 58 by the bolts and nuts. This method of fastening the runners 56 and the mounting of the tile is followed progressively. Light fixtures Tilt), as for example the type 3 shown in my copending application Serial No. 68,885, filed November 14, 1960, can be interspersed between the tile and rest upon the Ts. The horizontal flange 102 at the lower end of runner 30 spans the gap between the ends of the tile and the Wall.

If desirable, an air duct may be carried by a runner 56. Such duct is shown at 1114. The bottom of the duct is open as at 1416, and the lower ends of the duct are carried by elongated and vertically extending runner sections 107 which are arranged parallellyvof the runners 56 and telescope therewith.

, The opening 106 in the duct 104 is in direct vertical alignment with the air passage 62 formed by adjacent runner sections 56 and 58 of a runner.

' The width of the runner 56 can .be varied readily by substituting longer or shorter tie plates 64 for the sections 58 and 60. In this manner the width of the air passage 62 can be varied, or the width of the runner 56 can be varied for other reasons, such as design desires. In addition to the rivets or screws 66, the lower sides of the tie plate 64 are each provided with two vertically extending flanges 108 which are received by the channels 94. Preferably, the extreme lower ends of the flanges 108 are in the form of parallelly aranged beads 110 and are received by curved parallelly arranged recesses 112 at the bottom of channels 94. The walls forming a channel 94 are sufficiently resilient for expanding when the bead 110 is pushed into position.

If desirable, a part of the airpassage 62 may be closed by a' ceiling panel such as that shown at 111. Such panel is in the form of a flattened inverted T in cross section, i.e. the vertical leg 114 is relatively short; it extends upwardly through the gap between the legs 76 of the runner sections 56 and 58 to adjacent the underside of portions 78 of said section. The front and rear of the panel is provided with kerfs 116 which lie in a horizontal plane slightly above the top sides of the arms 1118 of the panel. These kerfs receive the plates 121) which lie upon the ledges '76 to thereby support the panel.

The thickness of the arms 118 of the panel is such that when the panel is in supported position, the underside thereof is planar with the underside of the tiles 28. Also the width of the panel is only slightly less than the span between the next adjacent tile.

A part of the air passage 62, between the runner sections 58 and 60, is also closed when the runner is used for retaining in position the upper edge of a removable partition, as for example partition 122. Two adapter sections in the form of runners 124 are used, in conjunction with the runner sections 58 and 60, respectively, for retaining the upper edge of the partition in position. These runners 124 are shaped like an inverted T in cross section. The vertical leg or flange 126 thereof is relatively short. The upper end of the leg 126 of one of the runners 124 is received by the open bottom channel 74 of runner section 58 of runner 56, and the upper end of the leg 126 of the other runner 124 is received by the open bottom channel 74 of runner section 60 of runner 56. Preferably the side edges of the lateral arms 128 are widened vertically as at 130 to provide a vertical longer retaining surface on opposite sides of the partition 122, and, to provide a widened vertically extending abutting surface for engagement with the edge of the tile unit. Like the channel 94 and like flange 108, the channel 74 is provided with curved recesses and the upper end of leg 126 is provided with a bead whereby the runner 124 is snapped into position and yieldingly held in such position due to the resiliency of the metal forming the chamiel 74.

a If desired, the air passage 62 may be partly closed by This diffuser is aligned vertically with the air passage 62 and can be adjusted vertically to control the amount of air passing through the air passage along the diifuser. To accomplish this vertical adjustment, a bolt 136 is suitably fastened to the top of the ditfuser and the bolt is fastened to the plate 64 by a pair of nuts 138 and 140 on opposite sides of the plate. By providing such adjustments'for the diffusers, they not only merely operate as diffusers, but as valves also, whereby the volume of air ejected from a duct or ducts can be varied as desired.

If desired, elongated adapter sectionsin the form of finishing runners 142 can be used in conjunction with the diifusers 130. The bottomwalls 144- of the finishing runner are planar and lie in the same plane as the underside of the tile 24. The walls 146 which confront the diffuser slope toward the diffuser from the bottom thereof. The outer edges of these runners 142 extend upwardly from the bottom walls 144 and are in substantial abutting relationship with the ceiling tile 24. The upper walls of the finishing runners 144 are provided with upwardly extending flanges 148 which like flanges 126 are provided with beads at upper end for resiliently retaining the finishing runners in position.

It is to be understood that a runner 56 can be used solely for sustaining the upper end of a partition wall in place, or can be used solely for supporting panels such as panel 124, or can be used solely as a support for an air duct and providing vertically an air passage therethrough. It is also to be understood that one runner can be used for a combination of any two or'all three of the foregoing purposes.

These runners and runner sections can be formed of light Weight materials such as plastic or aluminum alloys and can be formedby the extrusion process. Thus it is readily apparent that the cost of manufacture is materially reduced since many parts of the various composite structures are uniform, i.e. the same whereby the cost of too1- ing is reduced materially and inventory is reduced to a minimum.

A valve in the form of an elongated strip 150 which extends parallelly with the runner, can be pivotally supported in any suitable manner by the diffuser 134. This valve 150 can be set in a vertical position where it is ineffective or can be set in any desired angular position, relative to vertical, so as to vary the amount of air passing through the space 62 on either side of the diffuser 134.

While the form of embodiment herein shown and described constitutes preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms may be adopted falling within the scope of the claims that follow:

I claim:

. 1. A combination comprising:

(A) A ceiling construction including;

(1) a plurality of parallelly arranged and horizontally extending runners spaced from one another, each of said runners including;

(a) a pair of elongated and parallelly arranged primary sections, said primary sections being spaced horizontally from one another by spacing means to provide a vertically extending air passage therebe- (b) a pair of elongated and parallelly arranged adapter sections, each one of the latter pair having means for removably attaching the same to one of the prim aiy sections, said adapter sections being spaced horizontally -fr0m 0ne another to provide a vertically extending air passage therebetween, said adapter sections each having a flat lower surface;

(2) tile units between the runners and supported by the runners, said tile units each having a lower surface which is coplanar with the flat lower surfaces of the adapter sections;

(B) and means for supporting said runners and tile units.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, in which the adapter sections function as receiving and holding means for the upper ends of room partitions.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1, in which the adapter sections function to form wall portions of an air diffuser.

4. A combination as defined in claim 3, in which in combination with each pair of adapter sections includes a (3) An air duct carried by one of the runners above the runner and in open communication with the air passage between the sections of said runner.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner. BENJAMIN BENDETT, Examiner. 

1. A COMBINATION COMPRISING: (A) A CEILING CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING (1) A PLURALITY OF PARALLELLY ARRANGED AND HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING RUNNERS SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER, EACH OF SAID RUNNERS INCLUDING; (A) A PAIR OF ELONGATED AND PARALLELLY ARRANGED PRIMARY SECTIONS, SAID PRIMARY SECTIONS BEING SPACED HORIZONTALLY FROMM ONE ANOTHER BY SPACING MEANS TO PROVIDE A VERTICALLY EXTENDING AIR PASSAGE THEREBETWEEN; (B) A PAIR OF ELONGATED AND PARALLELLY ARRANGED ADAPTER SECTIONS, EACH ONE OF THE LATTER PAIR HAVING MEANS FOR REMOVABLY ATTACHING THE SAME TO ONE OF THE PRIMARY SECTIONS, SAID ADAPTER SECTIONS BEING SPACED HORIZONTALLY FROM ONE ANOTHER TO PROVIDE A VERTICALLY EXTENDING AIR PASSAGE THEREBETWEEN, SAID ADAPTER SECTIONS EACH HAVING A FLAT LOWER SURFACE; (2) TILE UNITS BETWEEN THE RUNNERS AND SUPPORTED BY THE RUNNERS, SAID TILE UNITS EACH HAVING A LOWER SURFACE WHICH IS COPLANAR WITH THE FLAT LOWER SURFACES OF THE ADAPTER SECTIONS; (B) AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID RUNNERS AND TILE UNITS. 